Voice of Democracy
Published by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation · Washington, D.C.· Nov. 19, 2002

Raping the truth.

ARREST PRECEDES 'CRIME' -- For anyone who doubts that the rape charges filed by the Kazakh government against Sergei Duvanov are a sham, there is now evidence that a summary of the charges was sent to journalists from Nazarbayev's office "before the alleged crime took place," according to Lord Russell-Johnston, the former president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. He made the accusation in a letter to President Nazarbayev. He told the Kazakh dictator that he suspected the reason for arresting Duvanov on charges of raping a 14-year-old girl was so the regime could hold a closed trial for the human rights activist and investigative journalist who exposed official corruption. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that talking points for prosecutors to use on arresting Duvanov were faxed out of President Nazarbayev's office about 90 minutes before the alleged crime was supposed to have been committed.Duvanov's arrest "is another piece of evidence of the lack of democracy in Kazakhstan," Russell-Johnston, currently the head of the International Institute for Democracy, told President Nazarbayev. He also wrote to Duvanov, saying his treatment "has given deep offence to those who defend democracy and freedom of speech in the Council of Europe." http://www.rferl.org/bd/ka/

CONGRESS DEMANDING UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE -- More than 20 members of the U.S. Congress have written to President Bush to intervene on behalf of one of Kazakhstan's leading journalists and human rights activists, Sergei Duvanov, who was jailed on the eve of a trip to Washington to discuss his work exposing corruption in the Nazarbayev regime. The bipartisan group of lawmakers urged Bush to "[demand] the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Duvanov from pre-trial detention as he awaits his trial and a thorough examination of the charges brought against him by a team of independent legal experts." The lawmakers said the arrest is seen around the world as "part of President Nazarbaev's campaign to silence inconvenient voices in Kazakhstan." "The letter was initiated by the chairman and ranking member of the House International Relations Committee, Reps. Henry Hyde (R-Illinois) and Tom Lantos (D-California). Other signers are: Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), Benjamin A. Gilman (R-NY), David E. Bonior (D-MI), Frank R. Wolf (R-VA), Gary L. Ackerman (D-NY), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), John L. Lewis (D-GA), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Wayne T. Gilchrest (R-MD), Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Sawyer (D-OH), Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Martin T. Meehan (D-MA), Jay Inslee (D-WA), Xavier Becerra (D-CA). Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D IL) wrote a similar letter of her own to Bush. The letters termed the charges "quite suspicious" in light of the regime's "general crackdown on independent and opposition media" and specifically its campaign against Duvanov personally. He has been violently beaten, knifed, and arrested in the past for his reporting on official corruption. Duvanov, who has briefed Members of Congress about the human rights situation in Kazakhstan, protested his arrest by going on a hunger strike but authorities began force feeding him.

'WE WILL BE WATCHING' -- Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has "strongly" protested Duvanov's treatment and questioned the "timing and motives" behind his arrest. In a letter to Kazakh Amb. Kanat Saudabayev, McCain said the Bush Administration shares his concerns about the "questionable circumstances surrounding" Duvanov's arrest and seeking assurances he would receive "a fair and open trial." McCain said he had been looking forward to meeting with Duvanov, who was seized on his way to Washington, where his briefings on the human rights situation in his country are taken very seriously. McCain hinted that this incident could have a negative impact on bilateral relations, and said he and his colleagues "will be following" the trial closely and "expect every standard of fairness and impartiality" to be observed.

RAPING THE TRUTH -- It was a new low even for the thin-skinned Kazakh dictator when one of the country's leading investigative journalists and human rights advocates was charged with raping a 14-year-old girl. It was a transparent but clumsy move to prevent Sergei Duvanov from going to Washington and New York to receive an award for his writing about "Kazakhgate," the corruption scandal involving President Nazarbayev and some of his top advisors and family members. This isn't the first time Duvanov has been targeted. A Nazarbayev goon squad severely beat him in August to prevent him from attending a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Warsaw on press freedom in Kazakhstan. That followed his earlier arrest on one of the regime's favorite charges -- "insulting the dignity and honor of the president." Charges were dropped, probably because it would be difficult to prove that Nazarbayev, who has been condemned internationally for human rights abuses and attacks on the media, had any remaining "dignity and honor" left to insult. Already stung by public criticism of its attacks on the media generally and Duvanov in particular, the regime invented the charge of raping a minor because it would mean a closed trial, according to Charges R. both, a Washington attorney close to the Kazakh opposition. A bipartisan Congressional letter to President Bush contends Duvanov's "attorneys do not have free access to him, and his health is failing." His daughter, Denissa Duvanova, was in Washington last week to meet with Members of Congress, the administration and others to brief them about her father's situation and bring a message smuggled out of his jail. She said he "thinks he is going to die" in Nazarbayev's custody. Duvanov contends he was drugged and awoke to found himself in police custody on trumped up charges of raping a 14-year-old girl. http://www.washtimes.com/world/20021114-92348528.htm

SUPPORT KEEPS POUR IN -- Members of Congress were not the only ones protesting Duvanov's arrest. Members of the European Parliament, the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the International League for Human Rights, the Committee to Protect Journalists and many others have spoken out on his behalf.

Thomas A. Dine, president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, called the charges "highly dubious" and said Duvanov's arrest "is another harsh blow to media freedom in Kazakhstan." http://www.rferl.org/bd/ka/

More than 60 participants of the Communities of Democracies Non-Governmental Forum, led by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, have written to Nazarbayev expressing their "deep concern" over "the ongoing persecution and the arrest" of Duvanov. Calling him "a prominent human rights defender" and "consistent critic" of Kazakh government corruption, the group said it has "serious reasons to believe" his arrest "is another attempt to harass and silence" him. The signers called on Nazarbayev to "end harassment and persecution of political opposition activists and independent journalists."

"These charges are insidious," said Rinat Akhmetshin, a Duvanov supporter and human rights activist with the International Eurasian Institute. He demanded that Kazakh authorities "Allow open access to the trial, allow polygraphs, allow DNA tests, let both sides present their case, according to AFP. http://www.afp.com/english/home/

For the full stories, see the web citations above or contact us at News@Kazakhstan21.org. The Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation promotes democracy and human rights in Kazakhstan through public affairs and educational programs in the United States and Europe. This material is distributed by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice,  Washington, D.C.